rant
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
ranting, extravagant, or violent declamation.
- Synonyms:
- extravagance, bombast
-
a ranting utterance.
verb
-
to utter (something) in loud, violent, or bombastic tones
-
(intr) to make merry; frolic
noun
-
loud, declamatory, or extravagant speech; bombast
-
a wild revel
-
an energetic dance or its tune
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rant
First recorded in 1590–1600, rant is from the Dutch word ranten (obsolete) to talk foolishly
Explanation
A rant is an argument that is fueled by passion, not shaped by facts. When the shouting starts on talk radio, or when a blog commenter resorts to ALL CAPS, you're almost certainly encountering a rant. Rant comes from the Dutch ranten, "to talk nonsense." Rave is a close synonym — in fact, "to rant and rave" is a popular expression. When rant is used as a noun, it means something like tirade. The first recorded usage of rant is from the end of the sixteenth century, in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. By the middle of the turbulent seventeenth century, the name Ranters was used as a catchall pejorative for various groups of radical Christian dissenters.
Vocabulary lists containing rant
Instead of "Said": Vexed Verbiage to Express Anger
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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The Secret Life of Bees
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was Ferguson's quip after narrowly beating Leeds, suggesting teams "raise their game" against Manchester United, that proved the spark for Keegan's famous rant.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
As much as they may rant about the intensity, time commitments and increasingly absurd economy of youth sports, there is no way to escape it—or avoid their nearest Dick’s Sporting Goods.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
Speculation, but why else would he rant on in that way?
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
The Journal’s op-ed following the ruling ripped Trump’s rant, calling it “arguably the worst moment of his Presidency.”
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026
Shorty’s been listening to me rant for going on an hour now.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
